Highway Patrol to Add 34 New Troopers

JEFFERSON CITY - Thirty-four Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers will graduate from the Patrol's Law Enforcement Academy Friday morning on the south lawn of the Missouri State Capitol.

Governor Jay Nixon will be the keynote speaker for the ceremony and Mary Rhodes Russell with the Missouri Supreme Court will administer the oath of office. Pastor Jeff Hardy of First Baptist Church in Kansas City will provide the invocation and benediction. The Troop F Color Guard will present and retire the colors and Mr. Andrew J. Armstrong, son of a trooper, will sing the national anthem.

Dean Gil Kennon, Mineral Area College Vice President of College Affairs, will present an Associates of Applied Science degree to 13 of the new troopers based on their course work at the academy.

The 98th Recruit Class reported to the academy on January 2, 2014. In the 26 weeks at the academy, the recruits accumulated points toward graduation in the categories of physical fitness, firearms, and academics.

Four class awards will be presented for those categories. The person with the highest number of points in each category earns the respective award. The Superintendent's Award is presented to the person with the most points overall from Superintendent Colonel Ron Replogle.

Below is a list of the names, hometowns, and first assignments for the graduates. The new troopers will report for duty July 14.